Winds of Fate [Books I-III]

Chapter 106: In The Eye of the Storm

March 4th 1720, Present Day
Queen of Sparta, the docks of Tortuga

"Ack!" Torkin happily announces as he perches on a paperweight, wearing his new hat. "Avast yeee!" 

He lifts a wing and salutes to Eleanore, who has sat on the desk with her legs crossed.

"Thank you, Torkin." She beams. "First things first." Eleanore places her hands on her hips. "I need to know the state of money and supplies."

James hastily gathers the ledgers under his chair. Sparta's original crew are gathered in the grand cabin, while the rest of the crew members are allowed to their rest. Boomer had gone down to take care of Obbie, leaving them with only eighteen crewmates including Torkin. They sit wherever they could, except for Anton who keeps watch by the doors, with his arms crossed over his chest.

Eleanore holds her breath, evading his probing eyes. While he took over more than half of the ship's commands and lessened her own burdens, she is far lonelier now than when she had full control of Sparta. And to think, only yesterday, life held a lot of promise for them and their marriage.

Now they are catapulted in the middle of an unseen tempest, and they couldn't even face it beside each other. He is swept to one side of the tide; she is relegated to another. Eleanore raises a brow and nods at their friends. Why did she ever want to choose between them?

But life likes to make her choose. 

The gods have warned her, time and again. Even that galleon spirit saw through her soul. Antonio is an insurance, isn't he? The galleon spirit had hissed back in that abandoned island. Someone who will never leave you.

Her heart dips. 

And her own voice agrees.

Because no one ever stayed. Not even my own parents did. Eleanore twirls a loose thread of her sleeve around her finger. Her eyes watch James and Aggy fumble with the ledgers but her soul lingers so far away from her body. No one will stay.

Unless... Someone dark, someone unknown, begins to continue her thoughts. Unless... 

They are tied to you by a deal.

Eleanore holds back a gasp. A contract. Her eyes begin to wet with tears. Like marriage. Gripping the wooden desk tight, she keeps her eyes on the carpet. Like the Articles of a ship.

Like the Sea-Devil's offer.

A worrisome cough breaks the dull ringing silence. Everyone looks for it and finds Uriah waving his hand over the cigar between his lips as he lounges on the chaise propped by the shelf of weapons. He raises a brow as James steps forward with the book and looks up at Eleanore.

She straightens herself up and leans in.

"Just you or do I need to---?" The ashen-haired quartermaster asks, oddly out of his element.

Eleanore coaxes him to turn around.

"Ehem." James clears his throat. "Ladies and gents, all books are accounted for and I am glad to report that we don't need to raid---"

"Hooray!" Vic and Jay exclaim, to which Maurice slaps his forehead and Dante hides a smile.

"--For now." James smirks.

Meanwhile, Douglas rolls his eyes at the younger sailors. "These boys are still wet behind their ears!" He snarls, wrinkling his nose in disapproval. "I'd say you send them spying in a French port to teach them a lesson."